The setting sun burned blood-red on the horizon, and the wind on the rooftop howled, whipping my clothes like a battle flag.
John stood just a meter in front of me, grinning coldly, fists clenched and itching for a fight. Just as we were about to throw down, a commotion broke out at the stairwell entrance.
We both froze. Since John and I had agreed to settle things one-on-one up here, Ni Ba had posted a few guys to guard the stairs and keep others out. So who was trying to barge in?
I turned toward the stairwell and saw a girl in our school uniform yelling angrily, "Get out of my way, or deal with the consequences."
It was none other than our class beauty and class president, **Harper**. Both Ni Ba and John recognized her instantly. Ni Ba frowned slightly and gestured toward John with his chin.
John walked over and asked, "Harper, what are you doing up here?"
Harper replied coldly, "My friend is up here. I can't come support him?"
"Your friend?" John glanced at me, then asked, "You mean him?"
Harper walked up beside me, head held high, and said, "That's right. Andrew is my friend. I can't stand how you're bullying him. I'm here to support him—is that not allowed?"
John's face darkened. He had known Harper since middle school and had long harbored a crush on her. Seeing her stand on my side infuriated him. He shot me a look full of resentment and told Harper, "You can watch, but don't interfere. Today, I'm not sparing anyone."
Ni Ba checked his watch and said impatiently, "Enough talk. Start already. Don't waste our time."
With that cue, John lunged at me, swinging a punch straight for my face. I raised my left arm to block it, only to realize something was wrong—there was no real power in it. My gut tightened.
Sure enough, the punch was a feint meant to draw my attention. In that split second, John pivoted and sent a vicious kick into my injured left leg.
"Ugh—"
Pain exploded up my leg. I staggered, nearly collapsing. Sweat broke out across my forehead as my face turned pale.
"Go, Brother Yong!"
"Boss, kill that punk!"
"Just keep going for his injured leg—see how long he lasts!"
Encouraged by John's early upper hand, Wang Haifeng and the others cheered loudly. Even Ni Ba couldn't help but smirk. Meanwhile, Zheng Zhantao's crew watched in silence.
Only Harper, Bucktooth, and the others looked tense. Bucktooth called out, "Andrew, he's targeting your left leg—watch it!"
I was already trying to guard my weak spot, but with my limp and sluggish footwork, I couldn't move freely. Then John yelled, "Stay down!" and swept his leg toward mine.
Blinding pain shot through my calf, and I crashed to the ground.
Wang Haifeng and his gang roared with approval. John looked at Harper with a smug expression, then strutted over and planted his foot on my chest. "Give up?"
"Screw you!"
I roared and shoved his foot away, forcing myself back up and lunging at him again—only for him to sidestep easily. He grabbed my collar, tripped me with a swift move, and knocked me down again, stomping on my chest with a sneer. "You've lost."
"I haven't!"
I yelled again and tried to get up, but took a nasty hook to the jaw and went down hard.
John was growing annoyed. "Just admit it already."
My mind flashed back to that morning in the park, when I was in agony, on the verge of quitting, and my father-in-law's words rang in my ears: *"Don't give up. You can do this. It's not as hard as you think. Just hang in there…"*
I shook my head fiercely to stay conscious and struggled back to my feet.
John was stunned I still wouldn't yield. He grabbed my collar and rained down blows on my face. My mouth bled, my eye swelled—but he was breathing heavily now too. Finally, he shoved me to the ground again and planted his foot on my head. "Get up again, I dare you."
I spat blood, pushed his foot off, and raised my head like a wounded wolf. Under the stunned gazes of everyone around, I staggered to my feet once more.
"You really are a damn cockroach," John growled, charging at me again. Thinking I couldn't fight back, he swung a massive right hook.
I ducked suddenly, avoiding the punch and lunging forward to tackle him, slamming him to the ground. The crowd gasped.
Now I was the furious wolf. I straddled him—anyone who's fought knows this position is lethal. He couldn't move or punch properly. His desperate swings were weak and ineffective.
I, on the other hand, began pounding away like a machine. My fists smashed into his face with brutal force. His features crumpled. After just a few hits, he stopped resisting.
The rooftop fell silent. Everyone was stunned. Even Ni Ba, who had been coolly smoking nearby, stared wide-eyed, unable to process how John had been taken down.
I was like a bloodthirsty beast.
*"This one's for what you did to me on the first day of school…"*
*"This one's for my brother Bucktooth…"*
I rained blows on him until Harper finally rushed in and pulled me back. "Andrew! Stop! You'll kill him!"
Her voice snapped me back. Supported by her, I got to my feet, then, copying John's earlier humiliation, placed my foot on his head and glared at the crowd. "So… who's the real coward now?"
Ni Ba and Wang Haifeng looked furious. If it hadn't been a declared one-on-one, they would've jumped me immediately.
Zheng Zhantao, John's long-time rival, took the opportunity to gloat. "Well, well… looks like John'll be taking the long way around Andrew from now on, haha…"
Ni Ba scowled. "Get Yong to the hospital," he told Wang Haifeng.
Wang Haifeng growled, "Boss, we can't just let this punk walk away. There's more of us—let's cripple him!"
Ni Ba snapped, "You want us to look even more pathetic today? Get out of here!"
He stormed off. The others had no choice but to follow, dragging John away. Wang Haifeng shot me a nasty look that said *this isn't over.*
Zheng Zhantao approached with his crew, openly admiring me. "Andrew, not bad at all. Even John couldn't handle you. But you know he and his crew won't let this go, no matter what they say. Join me, and I guarantee they won't mess with you again."
Even at my lowest, I hadn't gone crawling to Zheng Zhantao. I shook my head. "Thanks, Brother Tao, but I'm not looking to join anyone. I just want to get through these three years and get into a good college."
A guy behind him, nicknamed Turkey, jumped forward and shouted, "Tao's trying to help you, and you spit in his face? You think you're hot shit?!"
Bucktooth and the others looked at me nervously—worried I was making yet another powerful enemy.
Zheng Zhantao patted my shoulder, smiling faintly. "Think it over, Andrew. Give me your answer later."
But I could tell by his face—he had wanted to bring me under his wing. My repeated rejections were starting to bruise his ego. This might turn us from potential allies to enemies.
The rooftop was now empty except for me, Harper, Bucktooth, and the Luo twins. Big Luo clapped me on the back. "Andrew, I can't believe you beat John! Stepping on his head like that—so satisfying!"
Little Luo gave me a playful jab to the chest. "That bastard always bullied us—finally, some payback!"
Bucktooth grabbed me by the shoulders, shaking me excitedly. "The best part was when you said that punch was for me—I felt like I was the one decking John. Damn, that was good!"
I was already hurting, and now these guys were shaking and smacking me like lunatics. I winced in pain.
Harper stepped in and pushed them away. "Enough! Can't you see he's in pain? His face is pale!"
Bucktooth grinned cheekily. "Aww, Princess Harper is worried about Andrew\~"
Harper blushed bright red, stomped her foot, and snapped, "Mia! Keep teasing me, and I'll get mad!"